The part of the ovary to which the ovules or seeds are attached, sometimes raised or thickened.
That surface or part of an ovary to which the ovules are attached.
The disk-shaped organ within the uterus through which the exchange of nutrient material and oxygen takes place along with the elimination of waste products from the fetal blood becomes the afterbirth when it is expelled following the birth of the child.
The tissue which grows inside the uterus during pregnancy and links the baby to the mother.
The organ that surrounds the unborn child and serves as a barrier between the mother and child. It is permeable to a large number of solutes. The umbilical cord connects the placenta to the child.
An organ that develops in the uterus, the site of the exchange of nutrients and oxygen from the mother’s blood for waste products from the baby’s blood. The placenta grows from the outer layer of the fertilized egg (ovum) implanted in the lining of the uterus and is connected to the baby by the umbilical cord. It also produces hormones-estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)—which are detectable in a woman’s urine and are the basis of pregnancy tests. The placenta normally remains in place until after the child has been delivered, when it is expelled as the afterbirth.
Highly vascular fetal organ through which the fetus absorbs oxygen, nutrients, and other substances from the mother and excretes carbon dioxide and other wastes. It forms around the eighth day of gestation as the blastocyst becomes implanted in the wall of the uterus. At the end of pregnancy the placenta weighs about one sixth of the weight of the infant. Its maternal side is rough, divided into lobules, and has fingerlike chorionic villi that project into the uterine wall. The fetal side is smooth, covered with the fetal membranes. The placenta is expelled after the birth of the child in the third stage of labor. Also called afterbirth.
The organ of fetomaternal circulatory exchange that is attached to the uterine mucosa.
The organ that links the blood supplies of the mother and fetus during pregnancy. The placenta is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord. Although the blood of the fetus and the blood of the mother do not actually mix, the placenta supplies the developing fetus with oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s bloodstream.
An organ within the uterus (womb) by means of which the embryo is attached to the wall of the uterus. Its primary function is to provide the embryo with nourishment, eliminate its wastes, and exchange respiratory gases. This is accomplished by the close proximity of the maternal and fetal blood systems within the placenta. It also functions as a gland, secreting chorionic gonadotropin, progesterone, and estrogens, which regulate the maintenance of pregnancy.
The thick, spongy, disc-like mass of tissue which connects the embryo with the inner surface of the uterus, the embryo otherwise lying free in the amniotic fluid. It is mainly a new structure growing with the embryo, but, when it separates, a portion of the inner surface of the womb called the maternal placenta comes away with it. The placenta is largely composed of loops of veins belonging to the embryo, lying in blood-sinuses, in which circulates maternal blood. Thus, although no mixing of the blood of embryo and mother takes place, there is ample opportunity for the exchange of fluids, gases, and the nutrients brought by the mother’s blood. The width of the full-sized placenta is about 20 cm (8 inches), its thickness 2-5 cm (1 inch). One surface is rough and studded with villi, which consist of the loops of fetal veins; the other is smooth, and has implanted in its centre the umbilical cord, or navel string, which is about as thick as a finger and 50 cm (20 inches) long. It contains two arteries and a vein, enters the fetus at the navel, and forms the sole connection between the bodies of mother and fetus. The name ‘afterbirth’ is given to the structure because it is expelled from the womb in the third stage of labour.
The oval or discoid spongy structure in the uterus of eutherian mammals from which the fetus derives its nourishment and oxygen.
The organ that holds the embryo to the wall of the uterus.
The organ that connects a fetus to its mother and allows the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and secretions. The placenta is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord.
During gestation, a specialized membranous vascular structure within the uterus takes shape. This structure serves as a conduit for the developing fetus, facilitating the transfer of vital nutrients and oxygen while simultaneously removing harmful waste products.
The intricate organ responsible for delivering vital oxygen and essential nutrients from the maternal source to the developing fetus throughout the course of pregnancy is known as the placenta. Firmly connected to the uterine wall, it acts as a conduit, facilitating the transfer of these life-sustaining elements to the unborn baby via the umbilical cord.
The organ that forms within the uterus throughout pregnancy and acts as the connection between the maternal and fetal blood supplies.
Originating from the chorion (the outermost layer of cells arising from the fertilized egg), the placenta takes shape. It becomes affixed to the uterine lining and establishes a connection to the baby via the umbilical cord. Together with the other uterine tissues, the placenta is discharged during childbirth and is collectively referred to as the afterbirth.
The placenta facilitates the transfer of oxygen, essential nutrients, and safeguarding antibodies from the maternal bloodstream to the fetal bloodstream. Simultaneously, it eliminates waste products from the fetal blood, transporting them into the mother’s blood for eventual elimination through her lungs and kidneys.
The organ additionally generates hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). These hormones are released into the mother’s bloodstream to assist her body in adjusting to the demands of pregnancy, while also priming the breasts for breastfeeding. Elevated levels of HCG can be found in a woman’s urine during the initial stages of pregnancy, forming the foundation for pregnancy tests.
The placenta is an organ attached to the womb’s wall, connecting the developing embryo via the umbilical cord. It becomes fully formed around the third month of pregnancy and facilitates the transfer of nutrients and oxygen from the mother to the embryo. Simultaneously, it helps transport waste from the embryo to the mother’s bloodstream for elimination. By birth, the placenta typically weighs around one pound, measures about an inch thick at its center, and spans roughly seven inches in diameter. In a standard pregnancy, it’s located at the uterus’s upper section, ensuring the baby comes out first during labor. After which, the cord is cut, tied, and the placenta is expelled. However, in cases where the placenta attaches to the womb’s lower section, obstructing the baby’s path, it results in a condition termed placenta praevia. This is concerning because it can lead to significant bleeding when labor begins, potentially requiring a cesarean section (a surgical procedure to deliver the baby through the abdomen). The placenta is also commonly referred to as the afterbirth.
A unique organ in true mammals during pregnancy, the placenta connects the mother and offspring. It offers endocrine secretion and selective exchange of soluble, blood-borne substances through the close contact of uterine and trophoblastic vascularized parts.